Gas-meter.



PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

' ;r.' R. ARMSTRONG.

GAS METER. APPLIOATLON FILED JUNE 15, 1907.

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PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

J. R.YARMSTRONG.

-GAS METER.

APPLICATION {FILED mm: 15, 1907-.

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v.unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. ARMSTRONG, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

' Application filed June 15, 1907. Serial No. 379,124.

provements in the construction and arrangement of the gas measuring chambers, particularly the formation thereof in connection with a central casing and opposite chamberforming shells secured thereto, whereby the arts are easily assembled and passages of awe area are provided for the gas.

I n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the improved. meter. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional plan views, taken on lines 33 and 44, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the meter consists of a central frame or casing 2 which is divided by partitions into several compartments or chambers, as hereinafter described, and at opposite sides of the casing are the circular upright heads 3 having the annular extension plates 3 to which are secured the sheet metal caps or shells 4, 4. A portion of the length of casing 2 is divided by vertical longitudinal partition 5. into chambers 6 and 6 which are open at their. outer faces, as shown. Secured to the outer faces of heads 3 are the collapsible bellows 7 car rying, respectively, the diaphragm plates 8 and 8 which operate in the spaces 'inclosed by shells 4, 4', thus forming two pairs of measuring chambers the chambers of each pair being separated by the diaphragm which constitutes a movable wall for each. Thus, one pair consists of chamber 6 having dia phragm 8 as an outer wall and chamber 9 formed by the space between the outer face of said diaphragm and shell 4. Similarly, the other pair of chambers consists of the inner chamber 6 and the outer chamber 9, the latter formed by the space between diaphragm 8 and shell 4.

At the top of casing 2 is a transverse inlet i chamber 10 having valve seats formed in the bottom thereof, with ports 11 and 11 open ing into chambers 6 and 6, respectively.

The end of casing 2 opposite chambers 6 and 6 is partitioned centrally at 12 to form chambers or' passages 13 and 13. which are open at their outer sides at 14 to communicate with the outer measuring chambers 9 I and 9, respectively. Chambers 13 and 13 have ports 15 and 15, respectively, opening through the valve seat of inlet chamber 10. Casing 2 is also formed with the transverse outlet chamber 16, located between chambers 6, 6 and 13, 13, and open at its top through the valve seats, as shown.

Each of the diaphragm plates is supported by a horizontally swinging hinge member 17,

pivoted at 17 to casing 2, with the free end of the hinge pivoted at 17 to arms 18 and 18 secured to the inner face of the diaphragm. The upper arm 18 is extended inward beyond the hinge and connected there,

to is the swinging rod 19 which has a movement parallel with hinge 17 and prevents the diaphragm plate from tilting or tipping, causing the same to remain constantly parallel with head 3.

Within each of chambers 6 and 6 is a vertical crank shaft 20 connected by rod 21 with hinge 17. The lower coned ends of shafts 20, as also the lower ends of hinge pivots 17,

turn in the aluminum cup bearings 22 seated in the floors of chambers 6 and 6. Shafts 20 extend through the tops of said chambers and carry gear wheels 23, 23, respectively, which mesh with each other, thus causing the diaphragms to operate in unison.

The admission of gas to the measurin chambers, and the passage of the measure gas from the latter to outlet 16,is controlled by two slide valves 24 and 24 which operate on the valve seats in the bottom of inlet chamber 10, each valve carrying a pin 25 projecting downwardly through a slot 25 in the bottom of the inlet chamber, and these pins are connected within measuring chambers 6 and 6 by pitmen 26 with shafts 20.

Each of the valves isformed with an intermediate upwardly-archedportion 27 and flat on each valve is a tongue 27' which covers slot 25 when the valve is in outward position.

Each of the valves is of such size as to momentarily cover the ports of both of its measuring chambers at the same time, and this occurs uponeach reciprocation of the valve when its pitman is halfway between its dead center positions. At the same instant the pitman of the other valve is moving over one of its dead center positions with one of the measuring chamber, ports fully open, thus admitting a full volume of gas to that chamber and affording maximum pressure upon the diaphragm which prevents the crank shaft from stopping with its valve pitman in a dead center position. In other words, one valve moves a quarter stroke ahead of the other valve, with the result that neither valve can become stalled, thus rendering it impossible for the meter to cease to operate.

The crank stem 28 may be engaged by the pin 29 carried by one of the gear wheels for operating the registering mechanism, not shown. Casing 2 and heads 3 are preferably formed of cast metal, and as the diameter of said heads is smaller than that of the outer measuring pockets inclosed by shells 4, 4,

- the heads are extended by the annular sheet metal plates 3, and the inner edges of these plates and the inner edges 'of the bellows 7 are secured to heads 3 by clamping rin s 30. The outer edges of plates 3 are turned laterally and jointed with shells 4, 4 like a blacking boX, and this oint is preferably secured and sealed by the encircling sheet metal strap 31 which is soldered.

With a meter constructed as here shown, the valve actuating mechanism is inclosed within the measuring chambers. Also, the gas has full and free access to all the measuring chambers, particularly the outer chambers, there being no pressure-consuming tortuous passages. And the construction which produces these results is extremely simple and the parts are easily assembled.

I claim 2- 1. The combination of an inlet chamber, measuring chambers having ports opening into the bottom of the inlet chamber, a diaphragm separating the measuring chambers, an outlet, a slide valve in the bottom of the inlet chamber for controlling the passage of gas therefrom to the measuring chambers and from the latter to the outlet, and mechanism located within one of the measuring chambers for operatively connecting the diaphragm and valve.

2. The combination of measuring chambers, an inlet chamber having ports in its bottom communicating with the measuring chambers, an outlet, a valve for controlling the passage of gas from the inlet chamber to the measuring chambers and from the latter to the outlet, a diaphragm separating the measuring chambers, a crank-shaft within one of the measuring chambers and operativelyconnected to the diaphragm, and a rod within said measuring chamber and extended from the crank-shaft toward the port opening 'into the inlet chamber and there connected to the valve.

3. In a meter, the combination of' two measuring chambers, a diaphragm forming a movable wall between the chambers, a hinge member connected to and movable with the diaphragm, a crank shaft connected to and adapted to be rotated by the hinge member,

gas inlets and outlets for the measuring chambers, and a slide valve operatively con nected to the crank shaft for controlling the gas inlets and outlets.

4. In a meter, the combination of measuring chambers, a gas inlet and an outlet, a

valve for controlling communication between each chamber and the inlet and outlet, a diaphragm, a crank shaft in one of the chambers and operatively connected to the diaphragm, and a rod within the shaft-coniii tained chamber and connecting the shaft and valve.

5. In a meter, the combination of measuring chambers, an inlet chamber having ports communicating with the measuring chambers and also a slot opening into one of the chambers, a slide valve in the inlet chamber for controlling the ports, the valve having an extension for covering said slot,

a diaphragm, and means located wholly within one of the measuring chambers and operative through the slot for connecting the valve anddiaphragm.

6. In a meter, the combination of two pairs of measuring chambers, diaphragms forming movable Walls between the chambers ofv each pair, two shafts each connected to and adapted to be rotated by the diaphragms, intermeshing gear wheels driven by the shafts, gas inlets and outlets for the measuring chambers, and valves operatively connected to the shafts for controlling said inlets and outlets.

7. In a meter, the combination of two pairs of measuring chambers, diaphragms forming movable walls between the chambers of each pair, a crank shaft connected to and adapted to be rotated by each diaphragm, intermeshing gears driven by the shafts, gas inlets and outlets for the measuring chambers, valves for controlling the inlets and outlets, and pitmen connecting the cranks of said shafts with the respective slide valves.

8. In a meter, the combination of a central casing, the opposite chamber-inclosing heads secured to opposite sides of the easing, one portion of the casing being partitioned centrally and open at its outer sides, diaphragms secured to the open outer sides of the casing, each diaphragm forming a movable wall separating a pair of measuring chambers formed by the partitioned casing and said heads, the casing having an outlet chamber common to the measuring chambers, an inlet chamber above the outlet chamber and open to all the measuring chambers, a pair of slide valves within the inlet chamberone for each pair of measuring chambers for controlling the passage of gas thereto and therefrom, and operative connections between the valves and the diaphragms.

9. In a meter, the combination of a central casing open at its outer sides and at one end partitioned to form chambers 6, 6, and at its opposite end partitioned to form chambers 13 and 13, an inlet chamber above and having ports opening into all the chambers, an outlet adapted to cooperate with all of said ports, heads inclosing the outer open sides of the central casing, diafixed mounting and a pivotal connection with the diaphragm so as to move therewith, and a guide rod paralleling the hinge member with one end of the rod pivoted to a fixed part and the other end having a pivotal connection with a diaphragm, whereby the latter is prevented from tilting or tipping.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES R. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

J. M. NEsBIT, JNo. J. FITZGERALD. 

